Adoption Resources

Many people will find great joy and satisfaction through growing their family with adoption. There are many resources and types of adoption that may be available to couples. It is unfortunate that many adoption agencies make the adoption process very difficult, expensive, and time consuming. Everyone understand the need to ensure the safety and well being of the children, but many people find the process extremely difficult. Better understanding the various options for adoption will help avoid some of this frustration.

Private adoptions can happen when a mother desires to relinquish rights to the baby before the state or other adoption agencies are involved. These types of adoption are usually less cumbersome but are also more difficult to find. There are mailing lists and agencies that will work with you to increase your visibility to mothers that may wish to give their baby up for adoption.

Adoption agencies are regulated by the state and have to adhere to strict guidelines. The various agencies will have their own requirements including visits with a psychologist, a home study program (inspection), and often age restrictions. There are programs that make the process much easier than other agencies. Overseas adoptions offer many hopeful parents the chance to grow their family. The number of overseas programs are growing and there is a wider range of options than ever before. Adoptive parents are encouraged to thoroughly investigate the different agencies and programs.

We will, on occasion, have embryos available for adoption when couples select this option as an alternative to discarding their embryos. This can offer a couple an excellent opportunity to experience child birth and expand their family. The embryos are usually stored following an in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF). Couples can make the embryos available for anonymous donation or directed donation (the donating and receiving parties know each other). The embryos are not technically "adopted" in the traditional sense of the word. The embryos are essentially "gifted" to another couple.

The receiving couple is aware of the physical characteristics of the donating individual, or couple. The embryos are already frozen and the recipient needs only to undergo an frozen embryo transfer procedure. Since the costs associated with the embryo transfer and previous storage fees are usually considerably cheaper than other forms of advanced fertility treatments, embryo adoption is usually very affordable. Total costs are usually below $5,000 for a single transfer. The demand for donated embryos usually exceeds the availability of donated embryos so potential recipients will be placed on a waiting list.

Human embryos and gametes can not be bought and sold in the United States. California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. strongly upholds this position and does not allow individuals providing embryos to receive any compensation or renumeration for donating their embryos. When embryos become available, they are truly a gift made of someone's good will and desire to help someone else experience the joy of having children. We are forever grateful for this gift!

The California Conceptions Donated Embryo Program offers an option with less waiting. The program is more expensive than traditional embryo donation programs but offers a high chance of success for less than the cost of IVF using donor eggs. The California Conceptions Donated Embryo Program has success rates comparable to success rates with donor eggs while avoiding long waiting lists for donated embryos or embryo adoption.

Donor Eggs

While this is not a form of adoption, it does offer an excellent alternative. Donor eggs will allow a woman of almost any age to become pregnant and carry a baby that will be viewed as her own without the risk of legal challenges. The pregnancy rates with donor eggs are very high. Egg donor give up their rights to the eggs when they are donated. The recipient mother is the intended parent and birth mother. These facts establish her right as the legal mother of the child and the recipient mother's name will be placed on the child's birth certificate. Additionally, she will be able to experience the bond of carrying a pregnancy of her own. Donors are selected through a thorough screening process and are matched based on multiple characteristics. The recipients make the final decision on the egg donor of their choice. Anyone considering adoption should consider the option of using donor eggs to achieve a pregnancy. More information can be found here.